1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pump control systems, and in particular, relates to a pump control system used in conjunction with submersible pumps in confined areas such as transformer vaults and elevator shafts to remove excess water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Important technological infrastructure, such as electrical hardware and elevator hydraulics and cables, are often located in enclosed spaces such as transformer vaults and elevator shafts. This infrastructure is enclosed for a variety of reasons, including engineering design, prevention of injury or theft, noise dampening, and aesthetics. However, these enclosed spaces are often subject to waste water accumulation as water from rain, irrigation, leaks, and other sources may enter these spaces, accumulate, and flood the enclosure.
To prevent water from rising above a certain level in these enclosed spaces, submersible pumps are often used to remove accumulated water from these locations. The water is typically pumped into a reservoir and ultimately released into the environment via a sewer system or the like. However, the waste water is often mixed with oil that leaked from the equipment in these structures. This oil-water mixture presents an environmental hazard if it is pumped into the sewer system.
Pump controllers are usually used to control the operation of submersible pumps. A pump controller is typically configured to activate the pump when water within the enclosed space has reached a high threshold level and to de-activate the pump when water has dropped below a low threshold level. Additionally, some pump controllers have sensors that are capable of differentiating between oil and water so as to prevent oil from being pumped into the environment. However, pump controllers could sometimes malfunction and cause the pump to continue pumping even if water has dropped below the low threshold level. As a result, the pump could be damaged from running under dry conditions. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved pump control system for submersible pumps adapted for removing waste water from enclosed spaces and reducing the occurrence of the pump running under dry sump conditions.